Hi everyone. Today’s post is going to be short. I want to give a big shout out to one of my friends, Travis Howser.

Travis has spent some time teaching English over in China. I’m not sure exactly how long he was there, but he knows how to spent Mandarin fluently. He’s also a qualified golf instructor.

Travis is back in the United States and teaches golf. He wants to get the word out that he can speak Mandarin in an effort to capitalize on that niche market. Please check out his website at Chinese Golf Instruction.

You’re more than welcome to email me if you have any questions. I have Travis’ email and can get in touch with him at ease.

There is a lot of talk going around the club about the PGA Tour’s drug testing policy. Some people are for it, and others are against it. I am not totally against it, but it seems like they aren’t taking it seriously enough. They seem to pick and choose the punishments depending on what play gets accused.

I am totally against performance enhancing drugs, and don’t understand how or why anyone would use them. I think it is completely unfair and stupid to take them, and even if you win the competition whilst taking drugs, you don’t deserve it because you have cheated. I would never take them; I want to play and win with my talents, and I don’t need anything to help me.

I do kind of disagree about the recreational drug testing. I don’t take drugs often, but I do enjoy the odd joint now and again. I think these drugs are a personal choice, and if they affect my playing, it will be in a bad way and that’s my fault. I always make sure though that I never smoke anywhere near a tournament, so I can give my best performance. At the same time I do think that if you are going to test for drugs, then it will have to be all drugs. At least we know so that we have to make a conscious effort to stay away from them. For me, golf is much more important than any drug high; I get my own high from playing.I feel that the PGA isn’t organized about the whole policy, and are unsure what to do sometimes. The tests are completely random and are not at all tournaments or for all players. I think if you are going to test, then test properly, do everyone. Plus, I think they should be doing blood tests, not urine. It all seems like a bit of a joke. Some high profile players have been caught out, and nothing has been said, and even in some cases, no punishment has been given.

If you are going to test professional players for drug use, test them all and give them a punishment. If they have been taking drugs then, they obviously don’t take the sport seriously and don’t deserve to be playing. I and many of my golfing friends, think that the PGA just singled out Doug Barron just to make them look like they were taking the drug policy serious. They let so many others off which is completely unfair. Maybe it is better for everyone to know who tested positive and what their punishment is so that they, and everyone else can learn from it.

I understand that the PGA tour must test, but I would prefer if they did it in a more professional way. At the moment, they look a bit silly.

Although most of my life revolves around golf, I do enjoy doing other things. Having a young son and a beautiful wife, I have to spend time with them too. She knows that golf is my passion and doesn’t mind that I spend most of my weekends and even some evenings playing. My wife will often come to the golf club on the weekends and watch me, like she used to when we first met, and is very supportive.

Family

I do try to spend some time with my family though, as my son seems to be growing up so fast, and I have missed a lot of it either at work or playing golf. When he turned 1, it suddenly hit me that I had missed his first words and his first steps all because I had been too busy. So I made a decision to make more of an effort to spend more time with them. Here are 9 additional tips to create a balanced lifestyle.

I didn’t want to cut down on the time I spend playing golf, but I tried to make sure it was only on the weekends. I normally wake up early to go and play so that I can try to make afternoons free for some family time. We do different things, like if the weather is good we take our son to the park, he can run around the playground whilst we eat ice cream and watch him.

We sometimes rent a boat on the lake or feed the ducks. There is a mini golf place nearby, which I want to take my son to when he is old enough. When they are at the golf club with me, once I have finished my match, I take my son around on the buggies up and down the hills while he laughs. On weekday evenings, we sometimes go to the cinema, but when it is the 3 of us we normally have to see a cartoon. I quite enjoy it, and my son loves it. Twice a month, my wife and I try to have a date night, and we use our neighbor’s daughter to babysit. We will go out for a nice meal, go and see a real movie or go out with some friends.

Friends

I need a bit of guy time too. I have some good friends at the golf club, but not all of my friends are into golf. So I also have to find time to spend with my buddies. We have the odd night playing poker with some beer and the odd joint, or go to a bar to watch the game. A few of the guys are in a soccer team, so we sometimes meet up and have a game of soccer.

I enjoy games like soccer and baseball, but only now and again. I’m not the beefy dude that wants to run around all day. What I like in golf is that I can take my time, and it is all about precision. When I’m playing soccer, I’ve got no time to think about precision, I just got to kick the ball anywhere towards goal direction. Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer the slower kind of sports. I have played golf since I was young, and it was always my preferred sport over anything else. I always wished there was

I have played golf since I was young, and it was always my preferred sport over anything else. I always wished there was golf at high school, but I had to pick soccer instead which I never excelled at, but I think it was because I always had golf in the back of my mind. I don’t think you can ever get good at something you wish you weren’t doing. I like to give lessons at the club too.

When there are teenagers wanting to learn, or know the basics, but want to improve their skills, I hold lessons on the weekends after my match. Not only do I teach their skills, it’s about learning the game overall, with things like posture, attitude and shot techniques. I enjoy because I am sharing my talents with others, and to see them grow and improve is nice.

Motorcycle

My third love in my life, after my family and golf, is my bike. When I was 18, I got my first motorcycle and have never lived without one since then. I have had my big cruiser for two years now, and I love it. I don’t drive it to work, but I usually use it to go to the club. I keep my equipment at the club and get changed when I’m there, so I don’t need to take anything with me.

My bike gives me a sense of freedom, and I feel like I’m flying when I ride. I love to buy custom parts and change it around so that it looks one of a kind, and right now, it looks fantastic. I clean it once a week and meet up with other friends that have bikes to go cruising when I have time. My wife used to love coming on the back, but it doesn’t happen very often since we had our son.

Travelling

The small holidays I get every year from work; I like to spend travelling. I normally alter between golf destinations and family holidays. Going to different places to play golf is a great experience, trying new courses, different climates and playing against new players. My wife and I love to travel when we can, and now our son does too. We always pick a new destination, so that we can see as many countries as we can. I love to visit new places and learn about how other cultures live.

I think it gives you more of an open mind and makes you grateful for what you have. It’s difficult to find time in my life for everyone. I work long hours and most of my free time I play. Some people get offended that I spend so much time playing golf, but I have to play to practice and grow as a player. Luckily my wife understands, and that’s what matters most.

As a human, I feel bad about the recent events in the life of Dustin Johnson. Before he failed his drug test, leaving him off the PGA Tour for months, the seasoned veteran suffered multiple heartbreaks at the majors.

Dustin Johson has never won a PGA tour major but has been close many times. He’s led with only a few holes remaining in the British Open, only to hit a critical shot out of bounds.

Do you remember the events that unfolded at Whistling Straits? He thought he had won the tournament after putting out on the 18th hole. He later found out that a small area of sand was considered a bunker. Instead of winning the tournament, he was forced to join a playoff. He ended up losing in the playoff.

In between those majors, Dustin has been dating Wayne Gretzky’s daughter. When I first saw her, I thought she was a party girl. Well, it turns out I was right. Her and Dustin have been living the “good life” for the past few years. They hop around to some of the biggest parties and snort cocaine. I have never done cocaine, but I’m aware it can be addicting; it can seriously impact a person’s life. My best friend in college suffered from cocaine addiction.

On a lighter note, Dustin should have taken a synthetic urine to pass his urine test. Another friend of mine was applying for a job at Home Depot. He found out that they drug test. He did a Yahoo search for “best synthetic urine” and found this site. Funny enough, he took the advice and bought a powdered urine kit. Maybe the golf star would have passed if he had found the Drug Rehab Alliance site (ha).

Okay, back to a more serious tone. Drug addiction, of any kind, is a serious matter. Dustin Johnson did the right thing and took the drug exam without cheating. The news spread quickly and it made Johnson reach out for help. He’s currently attending rehab to get his cocaine issue fixed.

What are your thoughts on the situation? Do you feel bad for him, or do you think it’s time for him to grow up?

We all know that I love the game of golf, but most people don’t know that my wife secretly loves the game too. When we first met she thought it was completely silly, and laughed at the thought of playing it. Time passed and she slowly started to gain an interest. I think it started to sink-in after the 2010 Masters. Who doesn’t get all jazzed after watching that golf tournament?

She started practicing everyday for about a month. I was thrilled that she found that much excitement. But, all of a sudden she stopped her practice sessions. When I asked her why, she said she had “lost the drive”. I understood exactly what she was talking about, as I had previously burnt out on golf before. Instead of giving up, I told her that a break from the game would do her well. She thought the same and put down the clubs for a couple weeks.

My wife loves to exercise. She is all about proper supplementation–you know, the protein powder and all of that stuff. Now that she dropped the golf, she decided she needed to pickup her exercise routine. She did a little internet research and found out that there are pre-workout supplements designed specifically for women. They are geared to boost energy and kick one’s workout into the next gear. She found this website and has never looked back. She has more energy than I have ever seen. She tells me her workouts at the gym have kicked up a notch.

Then out of the blue she says, “I’m ready to get back into golf”. To be honest, I was a little surprised. At first I thought her initial golf phase was an attempt to make me happy (showing me she cared), but it turns out she has the itch for the game I love. She said the pre-workouts for women are the greatest thing ever invented. Now, she puts in long driving range sessions; her game has elevated so quickly.

Her favorite one is the Chick Pump. I’m sure there are other reputable brands out there.

What’s the moral of the story? First, it is an awesome experience to see your wife enjoy the game you love. I couldn’t be happier that she likes to play golf. Second, pre-workout supplements (now for women) seem to be the real deal. I’ve actually heard of many PGA Tour pros that are starting to use these supplements. My wife loves them and I am strongly considering giving them a try.

Check out this great video that explains pre-workouts. Happy golf practicing everyone!

I received this email from a reader. They were reading the previous post where I talk about the importance of protein powder. Well, this golfer recently suffered an injury and says protein powder is one of the main things that keeps her going. Her story:

“The next day marked the start of the golf season, or at least the time when the weather cooperated enough. Before any golf rounds were going to start, I had to help a friend lift his two reclining chairs. All of a sudden a pain shot up through my lower right back. This had happened before in life and I knew exactly what it was. I had pulled a muscle in my back and would not be able to golf for a month according to what the doctor said.

I was devastated: the sport I could not wait to play just got delayed. Not what I was looking for. I was not able to hit up the golf course on opening day, but would not be able to exercise either. I am a little bit of a health freak when it comes to keeping my body in shape, and was a little concerned on what I would do. I could not go to the range and hit a few balls, let alone hit any putts. That also meant no crunches and push-ups. I even said goodbye to the walk I do five days a week.

I am a positive thinker and this negative experience took control of me. Then a friend told me about Whey Protein Powder. She said, “the reason I am telling you about this, is, because I was injured once too and was in your same position.” Well, there went my day dream and desiring to make it my reality, my friend had my attention.

She started to tell me about how she would use this in between meals if she felt hungry; and at times would just use the protein powder in the morning and not feel any loss of appetite or hunger until dinner. Now thoughts are running through my conscious mind. One, the doctor said it will be a month before I can swing a club again. Two, I don’t want to gain weight and throw my game off. I took the chance and this is what happened. Not only did I maintain my weight throughout this injury, I felt less stressed. I was healed in less than the 30 days. The doc said I would be fine, but I still decided to keep using the whey protein powder. The point is, even though I had an injury that prevented me from golfing when I desired to, I found an answer to maintain my weight”

I can totally relate to golf injuries. Actually, I’m recovering from golfer’s elbow. This video has been great in my recovery process.

Golf is an interesting and complex sport. I came to realize that one can take a lifetime honing all the skills required for a stellar golf game–and not get very far. It dawned on me that a solid golf game can only be built with a consistent workout and healthy diet. Despite the many ideologies that golf is not an athletic sport, I beg to differ. I became a better golfer after realizing the significance of embracing protein supplements and a daily routine of workout.

Going To The Gym

This has been a positive way of maintaining my fitness. Mostly done in the morning, the side stretch is always the first exercise. It calls for a straight stature where I make sure one of my hands reaches over the other shoulder. It flexes the muscles, especially after routine jogging. The oblique muscles also stretches, hence a massive improvement with my swing. The quadriceps stretch is always the second exercise where I place a supporting chair next to me; then I place my foot on it. To ensure that my golf swing gets the desired stretch, I rotate my body’s trunk. A light cool down would mark the end of the gym session. I have realized a major improvement in my flexibility and golf swing on the course; we can thank the gym sessions for that.

Protein Supplementation

Nutrition is critical for a golfer’s success. As golf keeps turning into an advanced and challenging sport, hydration and nutrition has jumped up in importance. My concentration and energetic stance have greatly improved because of the protein supplements I consume. The quality of the protein is what I consider, rather than the quantity. Despite the fact that most nutrients emanate from carbohydrates, my pre-game plan always has proteins as a core nutritional component. At first, I had no idea which protein powder to choose. It’s a little embarrassing, but I found all the information on a female based protein powder site. I use the Jay Robb brand and love it. Its sugar and carbohydrate content is very low. The energy it necessitates into my body is a thing to recollect every time I take on the golf course. The previous issues I experienced with muscle breakdown are a thing of the past. My muscle recovery rate has also improved dramatically. Hole 1 to hole 18 call for energy maintenance and sustenance, and protein powder (Jay Robb brand) delivers. Despite embracing the supplements, I also watch on my diet.

Eating and Sleeping Habits

Golfing is a sport that requires discipline in line with one’s daily routine. The meals that I consume in a day are balanced, with fruits as an accompaniment. I have three meals every day, with the breakfast stemming out as the heaviest meal. I consume water at intervals of four hours, and ensure that I have a minimum of seven liters in a day. Sleep is also pertinent to the relaxation of both the muscles and brain, and I sleep for seven hours a night. Golfing is an interesting sport only when the correct measures are taken. The improvement I have realized within the past year is a thing I cherish, and would advise other golfers to embrace discipline in line with their fitness maintenance. I like to keep this blog laid-back. Check out this funny video of a squirrel that steals a golfer’s protein bar. I had to bring it up because we were talking about protein supplementation.

Jack Nicklaus earned multiple collegiate awards, won major championships, and competed against stiffer competition, which one may justify naming him as the best golfer of all time. Nicklaus started out dominating golf at the age of 19 by winning the United States Golf Amateur title, and repeated the feat at age 21. Nicklaus’ winning style won him over with his competitors; and importantly, in defeat, he was gracious giving credit to the victor versus pointing out what may have played against him from earning a win. During the first 13 years of his career, Nicklaus took home 12 major championships; yet equally important, nine times he was the running up, and six times placing third.

His best results in majors are lauded to this day. For instance, 17 under par at the Masters, 8 under par at the United States Open, 11 under par at the British Open, and 8 under par at the United States PGA. One should remember that Nicklaus competed against foes that had multiple majors, such as Johnny Miller, Tom Watson, Raymond Floyd, Lee Trevino (six majors), Bobby Nichols, Isao Aoki, Nick Faldo, Ben Crenshaw, Fred Couples, Gary Player (nine majors), Arnold Palmer (seven majors), Seve Ballesteros (five majors) and Greg Norman. No one in today’s game can match this listing of golfers as competitors for a major championship. In addition, one can argue that the equipment used in today’s game brings more competitors into the field as a potential major winner. The advancement in technology lengthens drives, and thereby bringing lighter hitting golfers into the competition. Persimmon woods and smaller grooves for iron play require one to have a lot more skill than today’s golfer has to experience.

One trait that many admire about Nicklaus is his never say die attitude. For example, Nicklaus is credited with six final round come from behind victories in majors alone. Equally impressive, is the 37 top three finishes in major championships, along with 136 top three finishes in PGA Tour events. Nicklaus did very well on Sunday’s, where he won eight of his major championships by having to catch the third round leader.

One trophy Nicklaus did not win in his career was the Vardon, which is presented to the player with the lowest scoring average. Of course, one can understand why since Nicklaus did not play 80 rounds of golf in a given year, which is a requirement to qualify for said award. Interestingly, today that qualifier has been reduced to 60 rounds. Nicklaus has always designed Golden Bear golf courses for multiple years, and was an ambassador for golf all over the world. So one can understand why he did not year in and year out play the minimum number of rounds.

Jack Nicklaus dominated golf and will forever be a golf icon. Nicklaus had more than golf on his plate. He was a dedicated family man, and ran his own business while playing golf tournaments. Ultimately, eras are next to impossible to compare on any subject matter. The drive Nicklaus exhibited when he played, while running his business can be summed up with one of his many quotes: “So my fear was controlling myself, and making sure that I did what I had to do to the best of my ability. If they played better, they played better. As long as I do the best that I could, that was all I could ask for.”

Tiger Woods missing the Masters has caused us to think about if Tiger will ever win another major and surpass Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors. We might just have to face the reality that Tiger will never be the same. He has not won a major championship since the 2008 U.S. Open, when he defeated Rocco Mediate so miraculously on a broken leg. We do have to give him credit for winning eight tournaments since the start of 2010, but we do not look at him like that, because he is Tiger Woods, and we expect him to do that. This is not a fair way to look at him, but people have very high expectations for the current number two golfer in the world. Just four years, prior to 2010, he had 25 PGA Tour wins and 11 top-six major finishes. Even though Tiger has not been playing like his old self, the great Jack Nicklaus himself remains optimistic that Tiger can still break his record. However, as you read on, I will bring up some reasons as to why he might not win another major tournament for the remainder of his career.

Health

Tiger’s most recent ailment in his laundry list of injuries is his back. As you know, he decided to skip the Master’s in order to have surgery so he could be ready for the remainder of the season. But what is to say his injuries in the past won’t come back to bite him. Fred Couples, who is currently performing very well on the Champions Tour, went through this same thing, and he no longer competes on a consistent basis on the PGA Tour.

Age

Golfers reach their prime around ages 27 or 28, and this normally lasts from seven to eight years, if they are lucky. Tiger is currently 38 years old and not getting any younger. He will turn 39 years old on December 30, and with each passing year, the chances of him ever winning another major diminishes.

One of the more promising things Tiger can look at for confidence is the last three winners of the British Open were Darren Clarke, Ernie Els, and Phil Mickelson. All of them were over the age of 40 when they won. It also does not hurt that Tiger himself has won that tournament three times.

The Competition Has Caught Up to Him

The world of golf is changing. It is no longer just a game for the mature, and highly experienced golfers. There is so much young talent on the PGA Tour right now. Guys like Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Rory Mcllroy, and so many more are now competing and winning on the biggest stages in golf. There are no longer just a few guys out there that can give Tiger a run for his money. There are multiple, and they are not intimidated one bit by Tiger Woods.

Let’s Sum This Up

Tiger has multiple injuries, he is getting old in terms of golf years, he has much more competition now than he ever has before, and he no longer has the dominance he once had when he was younger. I would say if Tiger still has the ambition and the drive to catch, and possibly surpass the record of 18 majors, he needs to get a move on, and quickly.

I remember when I was growing up, my old man absolutely LOVED to play golf every Sunday. I never truly understood it until he took me onto my first golf course at the age of 16. He told me that 16 was the perfect age to begin to fall in love with his favorite sport: golf.

During that first game I didn’t understand anything: the lingo, how to hit the ball, or how to keep track of the scores. Even though it was all very confusing, this was the day that I fell in love with golf. I think that if it hadn’t been for my old man taking me, I would have ended up hating the idea of going out and playing golf; but he made it fun and he was calm and understanding the whole day.

What I Love About it Now

Now I am older, have kids of my own, and my father has passed; I have found reasons to love the game of golf for myself. The first thing that I learned to truly take in as an adult was the time to think. You don’t get that often when you have kids and work 40+ hours a week. The time I have while I play golf gives me silence to figure out my next step in my career. It allows me to dream about how to get my wife on that vacation she’s always wanted to take with me, and to reminisce some of my favorite moments in life.

The second thing I grew to love about my time on the golf course is the fresh air. As an adult all my time is spent in the office, the car, and inside the house. Going outside to play a round of golf gives me a chance to get outside and feel like a kid playing in the playground again. I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have golf to look forward to every Sunday.

The third thing I love is that it is one of the most relaxing activities I do in my life. Like stated before – work, husband-life, and having kids can be draining, and this game gives me a chance to have some time to myself and gets my head straight for the week ahead. The game of golf I play every Sunday keeps my stress level down, which keeps me in a better mood and extremely happy. Golf is what keeps me going on a weekly basis.

Golf is everything to me, and I have my dad to thank for that. I believe that he knew what golf would do for me in the future and I’m glad he introduced me to this wonderful game. I like to think that once my own son is old enough I’m going to introduce him to the game that I love as well. Golf will always be a part of my family, passed on from generation to generation.